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Monday, February 8, 2016

Josh Cellars California Red Wines

Josh Cellars is the creation of Napa winemaker Joseph Carr. The Josh wines are sourced from vineyards throughout California and offer an entry level price.

California By The Bottle

Joseph Carr offers wines from Napa and Sonoma with sophistication at a reasonable price. The wines range in price from $20 to $40 and include some from the Rutherford and Combsville regions in Napa Valley.

In 2007 the Josh line was created by Joseph Carr. These wines are sourced from a variety of vineyards in the state and so carry the “California” appellation. The are affordable (in the $13 to $17 price range) and are widely available.

The Crimson Duo

We had the opportunity to taste the 2013 Josh Cabernet Sauvignon and 2013 Legacy red blend. The Legacy retails for about $11 while the Cab goes for around $13.

The Josh Cabernet is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon with 5% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. It is sourced from Mendocino, Lake, Napa and Sonoma counties.

This is a quaffing wine. It has a rich aroma of dark fruit and is juicy with blackberry and cherry. However, you shouldn’t expect a multi-layered taste experience at this price point. It’s one dimensional – but that dimension is satisfying.

The finish is short and the tannins are faint – making this a lighter bodied Cab. Like other red wines at this price point, it isn’t for aging, but for enjoying within the next year or two.

I had expected a Bordeaux style blend, but the Zinfandel takes the wine in another direction. The flavor is plum with a few notes of leather and nuts.

It took me several sips to decipher this wine. It’s an enjoyable casual wine. By that I mean it is light to medium in body without heavy tannins. No decanting or swirling is required to open up the wine. It can be enjoyed with or without food. Guests will enjoy this from the get-go and at the price of about $15, you can afford to serve several bottles.

Uncork Josh for an everyday wine that enables you to sample California goodness with a down home price.